Monday, June 04, 2012

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres

"All over Europe, smartphones rang in the middle of the night. Rolling over in bed, blinking open their eyes, civilians reached for the little devices and, in the moment of answering, were effectively drafted as soldiers. They shook themselves awake as they listened to hushed descriptions of a looming threat. Over the next few days and nights, in mid-July of last year, the ranks of these sudden draftees grew, as software analysts and experts in industrial-control systems gathered in makeshift war rooms in assorted NATO countries. Government officials at the highest levels monitored their work. They faced a crisis which did not yet have a name, but which seemed, at first, to have the potential to bring industrial society to a halt.A self-replicating computer virus, called a worm, was making its way through thousands of computers around the world, searching for small gray plastic boxes called programmable-logic controllers—tiny computers about the size of a pack of crayons, which regulate the machinery in factories, power plants, and construction and engineering projects. These controllers, or P.L.C.’s, perform the critical scut work of modern life. They open and shut valves in water pipes, speed and slow the spinning of uranium centrifuges, mete out the dollop of cream in each Oreo cookie, and time the change of traffic lights from red to green." (VanityFair)

"Today we’re running another one of those fascinating obituaries from the Daily Telegraph of London of David Metcalfe, an Englishman who was known in his day as a 'man about town' and a member of English society. I knew David Metcalfe, although most casually, the way you know people you see frequently and have passing conversations with, as he was often here in New York and was, indeed, a man who got around. Most striking on meeting was his height and and his lanky angular features which you can see in the pictures of him. He looked the part of an aristocratic Englishman, but despite his Britishness, he had a strong American connection. His maternal great-grandfather Levi Leiter, who lived in the 19th century and died at the beginning of the 20th, made his fortune in Chicago in the 'dry goods' business, partnering with two others – Potter Palmer and Marshall Field. All three became very rich, Field now being the most famous of the names. All, especially Palmer and Leiter, expanded their considerable fortunes in real estate when the nation was a-building. David’s maternal grandmother, Mary Leiter, was famous in her day (during the Gilded Age) as one of the American 'dollar princesses' who crossed the Atlantic to marry English aristocrats. The husband in her case was Lord Curzon (later the 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston) who after his marriage to Mary, became Viceroy of India at the end of the reign of Queen Victoria through 1905 during the reign of Edward VII" (NYSocialDiary)

"Harvey Weinstein went straight to the top when seeking advice on filling in as host of 'Piers Morgan Tonight.' The movie mogul, we’re told, asked none other than Oprah Winfrey to give him some pointers before he hosted the show Thursday. Apparently Oprah’s wisdom worked, as Weinstein’s substitution gig helped make the show the struggling network’s best-rated program of the day. (Having an A-list lineup helped, including Bill Clinton, Martin Scorsese, Jamie Foxx and Quentin Tarantino.) He also, in generous Oprah style, had Nobu deliver the entire staff and crew dinner." (PageSix)

"Cartier brought in the big guns on the Brit chef scene in NYC for its Anglo-themed dinner soiree in honor of its latest update on the iconic Tank watch. April Bloomfield concocted a four-course feast for the likes of Poppy Delevigne, Swedish blogette Elin Kling, Paper's Mickey Boardman, Kelly Framel aka The Glamourai, Hanneli Mustaparta, and a cadre of editors and blogeristas. Dining upon a table carpeted in roses, cases of the Tank Anglaise and a slew of vintage Tank timepieces glittered in the foreground while one of those parfait summer sunsets dropped in the background from the supper's 21st floor perch of the Chelsea Art Center's Glass House." (Fashionweekdaily)

"Grace Jones turned down a gig in the Berkshires for Buckingham Palace. The model and singer was asked to perform at the birthday bash for Fab.com co-founder Bradford Shellhammer over the weekend in the Berkshires, a gift planned by Shellhammer’s buddy, Factory PR founder Mark Silver. But Jones’ management declined, explaining that she’d instead participate in the Queen’s Jubilee festivities at Buckingham Palace. 'I knew it was a long shot to get her to the Berkshires, but at least I thought she could do a video message,' said Silver, who is now gifting Shellhammer with an autographed poster of the Bond flick 'A View to a Kill' and five vintage Grace Jones albums." (PageSix)